Page:Frank Stockton - Rudder Grange.djvu/115



certainly enjoyed our second day in camp. All the morning and a great part of the afternoon, we "explored." We fastened up the tent as well as we could, and then, I with my gun, and Euphemia with the fishing-pole, we started up the creek. We did not go very far, for it would not do to leave the tent too long. I did not shoot anything, but Euphemia caught two or three nice little fish, and we enjoyed the sport exceedingly.

Soon after we returned in the afternoon, and while we were getting things in order for supper, we had a call from two of our neighbours, Captain Atkinson and wife. The captain greeted us hilariously.

"Hello!" he cried. "Why, this is gay! Who would ever have thought of a domestic couple like you going on such a lark as this! We just heard about it from old John, and we came down to see what you are up to. You've got everything very nice. I think I'd like this myself. Why, you might have a rifle-range out here. You could cut down those bushes on the other side of the creek, and put up your target over there on that hill. Then you could lie down here on the grass and bang away all day. If you'll do that, I'll come down and practise with you. How long are you going to keep it up? "

I told him that we expected to spend my two weeks' vacation here.